400 kg of opium seized in Isfahan province of Iran

Six consignments of opium weighing 400 kilograms were confiscated in the past three days in Isfahan province, said commander of the provincial police, Brigadier General Abdolreza Aqakhani, IRNA reported.

According to a report posted on Police news website, he added that four light and heavy vehicles were also confiscated from the smugglers, seven of whom were arrested during the operations.

The smugglers were handed to judicial authorities, the commander said.

With a 900-kilometer (560-mile) common border with Afghanistan, Iran has been used as the main conduit for smuggling Afghan drugs to narcotics kingpins in Europe.

Iran has spent more than $700 million to seal the borders and prevent the transit of narcotics destined for European, Arab and Central Asian countries.

The war on drug trade originating from Afghanistan has claimed the lives of nearly 3,700 Iranian police officers over the past 30 years.